Q: Okay, I applied online at this store but I’m going to turn in my resume tomorrow morning. What should I say to the hiring manager when I take my resume and CV in? Should I ask for an interview or just give it to her and leave?

A: This is a great opportunity to do for a walk-talking interview without setting a proper interview time with HR. And that may lead to a fast job offer than the other route of waiting for the response email or call on the phone. Your are putting your body in front of the potential employeer and showing your stuff.

I like to call this a baby-step interview, and you need to dress and submit your resume like you are going to a REAL interview, mind you. You are not just dropping off your resume, and maybe something will happen. First of all, you don’t know who will be there, if the hiring manager will be in or the HR Director had a bad day and just wants to get this job filled ASAP. That would be to your benefit. So it’s just not going in and dropping it off your nicely printed off resume. You need to ask to speak to someone who is related to the job. Most, I would say up to 90% of applications are done by email now. You need to do this and fast, as others are sending in their resumes and emails as fast as I am typing this Q&A response. Ultimately, you really are short-listing yourself and making the process far easier for HR and putting the show on for yourself. And this is a great way of getting things done in your career.

Here is a Twitter way of saying this: @RazorResume Dropping your rez off gets you in the door faster than just an email. Who knows whos watching when you walk in that door.